Hello everyone, how are you? 7 more sleeps my friends! I’m not sure who is more excited in our house about this fact, the children or me! I’ve always been a Christmas nut, I love this holiday more than any other. But there is no doubt, since I had children, my already excitable self has kind of gone into overdrive with festive anticipation! The thoughts of the children’s faces when they see Santa has been….. oh jeepers, my heart is racing again just at the thought!
Someone I know who will understand is my guest today – Author and friend Caroline Finnerty.
Hi Caroline, thanks for stopping by. Can you share with everyone a little about yourself?
My name is Caroline Finnerty, I live in the County Kildare countryside with my husband, our four year old daughter Lila and two-year old boy/girl twins Tom & Bea and our dog Sam.
Having met Caroline a few times now, she is as beautiful in person as she is in this lovely photograph!
Caroline, can you share the genre you write and when did you start?
I write popular fiction, usually with a moral issue or a ‘what would you do?’ question at its heart. My first novel ‘In a Moment’ was published by Poolbeg in 2012, my second book ‘The Last Goodbye’ was published this summer and my third book ‘Into the Night Sky’ will be published in September 2014. I also compiled ‘If I Was A Child Again’ a collection of short-stories from some of Ireland’s best loved authors (including a certain Mrs H), journalists and celebrities with all royalties being donated to Barnardos which is out now and I’m already working on my fourth book which will be published in 2015.
I’ve read The Last Goodbye and highly recommend it. It’s such a great read and I am looking forward to catching up and reading In A Moment soon.
I was so honoured to be included in such a wonderful line up of Irish Writers and TV Personalities, who all got involved in Caroline’s book If I Was A Child Again. I’ve spoken about the book quite a few times, but for anyone who hasn’t heard, it’s a collection of beautiful memories and inspirational stories, with the proceeds of the book royalties going 100% to Barnardos Charity.
My contribution is a piece called ‘Whispered Words of Wisdom’ where I pondered what I would say to myself should I ever get a Back to the future opportunity to go back in time and have a chat to my teenage self. I have bought several copies now for gifts and my own copy has been read and re-read by myself, as there are lots of gems from the other writers in it.
If you are tempted to buy a copy for yourself or for a gift for Christmas, now is a great time to do so as it is on sale here!
Caroline, of the characters you’ve created through writing, which one is your favourite and why so?
In every book I’ve written, I connect emotionally with my characters so I couldn’t possibly pick a favourite. Even my ‘unlikable’ characters, like Paul in ‘In a Moment ‘or Kate in ‘The Last Goodbye’ have been special to me, so much so that when someone criticises them, I feel the need to defend their honour and explain why they are behaving as they are (sad I know!).
I can understand that. I’ve had on occasion someone say they didn’t like a character and its like someone criticising your child isn’t it? lol…. Can you share something with us about one of your books that you’ve not shared with anyone else before?
In my first novel ‘In a Moment’ one of the characters Jean, discovers that she is pregnant with twins at her first scan. She then goes on to have boy/girl twins. I finished writing it in December 2010, the following April in a complete shock to the system I discovered that I was having twins myself. We didn’t find out the sex and when they were born that November, I had a boy and a girl as well! I always find that a bit weird to be honest. People who have read ‘In a Moment’ assumed that part of the storyline was inspired by my own experience but in reality it was written way before I was even pregnant! I’m just glad I didn’t give her quadruplets J
Now that’s a great scoop to get! Thanks Caroline for sharing that and OMG a bit freaky! On the same kind of freaky wavelength, before my best friend Annie read Beyond Grace’s Rainbow, but AFTER I’d written it, she named her youngest children Abby & Sean, which are two of the character names in BGR! I always found that freaky too!
Ok now that we’re finished freaking each other out, hat are you working on right now?
As well as promoting ‘If I Was A Child Again’, I’m reworking a storyline for my third book ‘Into The Night Sky’ which is due out next September and I’ve also recently started my fourth book due out in 2015 which feels like ages away at the moment!
So 2014 will be another great year for you Caroline! I look forward to hearing more about Into The Night, on our next night out! Tell me about your blog and what we can expect if we pop by.
My website is www.carolinefinnerty.ie I have to confess that I’m not very proactive on the blogging front though. Maybe it could be my new year’s resolution. I’m a bit better on Facebook, where my page is www.facebook.com/carolinefinnertybooks
I asked Caroline to give us a sneak peek at The Last Goodbye………
“Noel appeared sometime later, I remember it was either very early or very late for him – I didn’t know which. I could hear him talking to me but I didn’t have the energy to answer him so I closed my eyes and let them talk around me as I drifted in and out of sleep. I had vivid dreams of playing on hay bales with Anna as a child and picnics in the fields. I was twenty-three years old and performing on the stage in the Ballyrobin Amateur Dramatic Society’s annual show. Then I would wake up and Noel would be telling me stories from when the kids were small. I liked hearing them again – his voice was comforting. He told me how much he loved me and that it was okay for me to go and that they would all be fine. I closed my eyes and listened to him but I wasn’t able to respond. He was stroking my skin and his touch felt good. Then I was back sitting on the sand on Mulranny Strand with the sun warming my face. I watched as the kids jumped over the waves, Noel the biggest kid of the lot of them. I waved at them and they waved back at me, squealing in delight as the cool water washed over their skin. Gulls squawked on the warm air overhead. The waves were breaking in arcs on the sand in front of me and the water was rushing up towards me. I thought I was going to get wet so I got up and moved my towel back up the beach a bit further. I spread it out again and sat down and watched them all playing a while longer. A shivering Kate was now making her way back up the beach to me, the water running off her in drops. She left a trail of prints in the sand as she walked. I stood up and took a towel out of the bag. I held it out open until she reached me and I wrapped her close into its warmth.”
Thanks Caroline, that was beautiful. The Last Goodbye another great stocking filler everyone.
Speaking of which, can you share a Christmas memory with us?
My mam used to take us to see Santa in Clerys which is where this photo was taken of me at the age of five and my brother was three. My Little girl is almost the same age now so it’s lovely to think we are starting to make our own traditions and creating her future memories.
You haven’t changed a bit! How adorable is that picture? Thanks for bringing that with you! Describe a perfect Christmas Holiday for us, who are you with, where are you, what are you eating?
We get up and check what Santa has brought and then we will head to either my parent’s house or my in-laws. My husband and I are both from the same town and we only live down the road so we alternate each year whose house we go to for dinner, but because we live so close to both families, we still get to see everyone on the day which is nice.
That’s really ideal, no arguing over which house to go to, result! Do you have a favourite Christmas Movie? Why!
As a child myself and my brother were obsessed with Santa Clause the Movie. I mean obsessed. We both asked for cuckoo clocks one year but never got them L so that film holds a special place in my heart. I also love Elf, it is so, so funny.
I love both of those movies! In fact we watched Santa Claus the Movie with Amelia this weekend and she adored it too!
I think it’s only right that I share a little clip from the movie.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9IKbgM2SCI
Don’t you just love Dudley Moore? Favourite Christmas Song? And why!
I have my Christmas CD on in the car, which has been rechristened ‘The Christmas Mobile’ and my four year old just wants to have Boney M’s ‘Mary’s Boy Child’, Shakin’ Stevens ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’ and Jona Lewie ‘Stop the Cavalary’ (or ‘Stop the Camel Wee’ as she calls it) on loop but my choice would be ‘Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas’, it’s old fashioned, romantic and beautiful.
All great songs, but I’ve gotta share a clip of the legend that is Shakin’ Stevens! My sister Fiona used to love him. So this is for both you and Fiona!
Can you complete this sentence….’All I Want For Christmas……..’
Health and happiness for my loved ones.
Yep that will do it! What are you reading right now? And is it a paper book or ebook?
I’ve just finished The House of Special Purpose by John Boyne it’s my bookclub’s choice for December and I’ve just started The Secret Son by fellow Poolbeg author Jennifer Burke. Both are paperbacks but I read ebooks now and again too.
If you could pick any career in the world other than what you do now, what would it be?
I’m lucky to be able to say I am pretty much doing it and I’ve done the whole corporate thing, so I know how lucky I am to be able to say that.
Its pretty cool isn’t it? Who would you like to meet most for a chat? Dead or alive. Fictional or real.
My nana Sarah, my mum’s mum who died when my mum was a teenager so unfortunately I never got the chance to meet her but I always feel she is watching over me and if I’m worried about something or having a bad day, I have a little chat with her and she sorts it out so I would most like to meet her.
That’s lovely Caroline and I’m sure not only are you right, but she’s also very proud of her granddaughter. What is the best compliment anyone could give you?
I suppose it would have to be that I am a good mother or from a writing perspective to hear that someone enjoyed something that I wrote, or it touched them emotionally is also lovely to hear.
The Last Goodbye really touched me and having seen a tweet you posted of a birthday cake you made recently for your children, well, I’d safely say I can tick both of those compliment boxes!
Thank you for stopping by Caroline, wishing you and your lovely family a Happy Christmas.
Thanks for reading all,
Chat soon,
Carmel
xxx
